Patriarch: Putin to ensure Russia and Georgia remain fraternal countries
Russian President Vladimir Putin will do everything to ensure Russia and Georgia remain fraternal countries, Georgian Patriarch Ilia II said in Moscow while visiting sculptor Zurab Tsereteli's workshop.
"I had a meeting with Vladimir Putin and we agreed that this strained situation cannot continue," he said. "The Russian President will do everything for our countries to remain fraternal."
Patriarch stressed that that neither Russia nor Georgia is guilty of this situation.
"It was the fault of certain individuals," he said. "I thank everyone here as you love Georgia, and we feel it."
Large scale military action was launched in South Ossetia in Georgia on August 8, 2008. Later Russian troops invaded Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military. Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia later in August. Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Moscow in response and announced the two unrecognised republics as occupied territories.
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